1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connector technology and more particularly, to a terminal connector, which uses at least one conductor-retaining terminal for clamping the conductors of two electrical wires respectively, and at least one slide block respectively slidable into or away from the conductor-retaining terminal, causing two springy suspension arms of each conductor-retaining terminal to clamp or release the conductor of one respective inserted electrical wire.
2. Description of the Related Art
With fast development of computer and electronics technology, various electronic products have been created and widely used in every corner of the society. However, with fast development of advanced technology, it is the market trend to create computers and electronic products having strong operational capabilities and high operational speed and the characteristics of light, thin, short, small. In consequence, the size and height of electrical connectors for use in a computer or electronic product need to be greatly reduced in response to this development trend. In contrast, the bonding of an electrical connector with electrical wires of conducting terminals on a circuit board or motherboard and there will become more difficult.
Regular terminal connectors are generally directly bonded to the circuit board or motherboard. A terminal connector generally comprises an electrically insulative housing, one or a number of conductor-retaining terminal made by conducting metal, and an actuation button. When an electrical wire or conducting terminal is inserted through the housing into a clamping hole in a front end of one respective conductor-retaining terminal, the inserted electrical wire or conducting terminal is then secured by and electrically conducted with the respective conductor-retaining terminal. When the user presses the actuation button at the top side of the housing, the clamping hole of each conductor-retaining terminal is stretched open, allowing removal of each electrical wire or conducting terminal out of the respective conductor-retaining terminal and the housing. Thus, this design of terminal connector achieves the functions of rapid plug and play and repeatable maintenance. However, this press button design needs to provide a certain amount of vertical space for the stroke of the actuation button so that the actuation button can be pressed to stretch open the clamping hole of each conductor-retaining terminal. In consequence, the overall height of the terminal connector will be relatively increased, and its structural design will be relatively complicated.
But in today's society, under the trend of consumers' mad pursuit of electronics products having light, thin, short and small characteristics, any connector dimensional reduction can affect the dimension and height of electronic products, causing a change in the circuit layout of the circuit board or motherboard. Further, there is a gap left between the actuation button and the housing, and external dust, objects and moisture can easily go through the gap into the inside of the housing to affect the normal functioning and lifespan of the terminal connector. Therefore, there is a strong demand for a measure that eliminates the drawbacks and disadvantages of the aforesaid prior design.